Environmental Utility Fee

Starting the Environmental Utility Fund

The Environmental Utility Fund was started in late 2003 in response to local legislation that required the city to establish a program to meet permit requirements for the storm water system. The legislative mandate, called the National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES), is required of all storm system agencies within the state of Minnesota.

To receive a permit, the city is required to provide an active program for management of the drainage system. This fee is the funding source for that program. Questions on the Environmental Utility Fund and charges/credits should be referred to the Public Works Department at 651-249-2400.

About the Fees & Expenses

Maplewood was one of the last area communities to implement this fee system. The state has allowed this type of fee to property owners since the early 1980s. The City of Roseville was one of the first to implement the fee in 1984.

The basis for the fee, rather than relying upon property taxes for the same expenses, is that the charge for the fee is based upon the amount of impervious surface on the property and the impact on the overall drainage system. Taxes are based solely on property value, which is not correlated to the needs of the drainage system. With a fee based on the amount of the utility used, similar to a water or sewer bill, the amount of the charge to properties is more equitable. The fee is also charged to non-tax paying properties which amounts to nearly 10% of the utility charge that would not be collected from non-tax paying properties.

The largest contributors to the Environmental Utility Fund are the Maplewood Mall and 3M. Both have the largest surfaces of pavement within the community and thus the largest impact on the services provided by the fund.

The major expenses to the fund are to pay for street sweeping, storm pipe maintenance and wetland/ponding area maintenance. In addition, the fund pays for programs to enhance wetland areas and improve water quality in our lakes and streams. The fund will create a funding source for upgrades and replacement of the storm drainage system that will reduce assessments to property owners.

The quarterly EUF rate for a single-family home in 2015 is $22.44 (or $7.48 monthly). This fee is billed on your water bill.

EUF Credits

A residential Property can apply for an EUF credit of 30% per month (PDF) if the property installs and maintains a rain garden or other city approved stormwater best management practice. The rain garden or other appropriate best management practice must meet current city standards and be approved by the city's Engineering Department prior to and after it’s construction. Contact the Public Works Department with questions regarding the credit 651-249-2400.

Minnesota State Statute Chapter 471.701 requires that
"A city or county with a population of more than 15,000 must annually notify its residents of the positions and base salaries of its three highest-paid employees."